How to Care for Floating Pond Plants
Floating pond plants are plants that float on the surface of the pond with their roots drawing nutrients directly from the water, as such they do not require any planted fertilizer additives. Floating pond plants offer great shade to the pond and cover for your fish and other pond wildlife.
Floating plants will help keep water clear and reduce growth of algae by drawing on the same nutrients that algae feeds on. Floating pond plants also reduce the amount of light that gets to the water and remove nitrates essential for algae growth.
Some popular floating pond plants include Frogbit, Water Lettuce and Water Chestnuts.
What to Avoid with Floating Pond Plants
Floating pond plants can be a little sensitive to conditions in your pond. Its a good idea to heed the following advice:
- Avoid direct sunlight, or prolonged exposure to harsh sunlight which may burn or shrivel new growth.
- Try not to place them close to other surface-spreading plants like lily pads, or tall reeds such as bullrushes which may starve the floating plants of space, nutrients or sunlight.
- Avoid overly-cold or frosty conditions. Most floating pond plants are purely a spring/summer plant, and are not hardy to cold temperatures.
- Avoid placing floating plants near fast-flowing water, such as filter or pump outlets. This will lead to the plants constantly moving or congregating around pond filter or waterfall outlet currents.
To browse our range of all pond plants please click here.
To browse our range of floating pond plants please click here.
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